Actuating mechanism for jigs for washing minerals or ores.



N0. 7|D,777. Patented Oct. 7, i902.

C. J. HODGE.

ACTUATING MECHANISM FOR JIGS FOR WASHING MINERALS 0R ORES.

Application filed May 22, 1899.)

No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet L ff Z3 /6 ,YH: cams PETER$ co.. we're-um" WASNIHGTON, o. c.

No. 710,777. Patented on. 7, 4902.

.0. J. HUDGE.

ACTUATING MECHANISM FOR JIGS FOB WASHING MINERALS 0B ORES.

[Application filed May 22, 1399.)

(,llo Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

Unrrnn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES J. IIODGE, OF I'IOUGHTON, MICHIGAN.

ACTUATING MECHANISM FOR JIGS FOR WASHING MINERALS OR ORES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 710,777, dated October 7, 1902.

Application filed May 22, 1899. Serial No. 717,677. (No model.)

To (til 'mhont 2225 may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES J. IIODGE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Houghton, in the county of lloughtou and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Actuating Mechanism for Jigs for Washing Mineral or Ore, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact speciflcation.

My invention relates to actuating mechanism for mineral or ore washing jigs in which one or more reciprocating plungcrs are employed for agitating the water and mineral being treated, and it has more especial reference to the mechanical movement for imparting a fast and slow motion to the plunger or plungers, it being desirable in such machines to cause the plunger to descend rapidly and rise slowly.

The primary object of my invention is to provide an improved mechanical movement for thus reciprocating the plungers that may be attached to. the shaft at a point between its bearings, together with the necessary flywheel, so that the strain on the bearings resulting from the resistance or action of the plungers and from the centrifugal force of the fly-wheel will be equally distributed between the bearings and the parts evenly balanced.

WVith these ends in view my invention consists in certain features of novelty in the construction, combination, and arrangement of parts by which the said objects and certain other objects hereinafter appearing are attained, all as fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the said drawings, Figure 1 is a front view of the upper part of a jig, showing the mechanical movement in vertical section on the line 1 1, Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a side elevation with the standards which carry the pillowblocks at one end of the shaft broken away. Fig. 3 is a detail elevation of one side of the frame, the adjustable trunnion, and eccentric looking from the inner side of the machine. Fig. 4 is a detail transverse sectional view taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 1.

In devices of this character it is desirable that the downward movement of the plunger be more or less rapid, so as to set up an energetic circulation of water upwardly through the screens of the jig; but the upward movement of the plunger should be slow, so as not to counteract the good effect of the dowir ward movement. Usually these mineral or ore washing jigs are provided with two plungers, and when such is the case each of the plu ngcrs will be actuated bya pitman 1. These pitman-rods are usually actuated by eccentrics,and in the example shown in the drawings each is provided with an eccent ric-strap 2, surrounding an eccentric 3, which in turn surrounds and is carried by another eccentric 4, the latter being journaled upon a trunnion 5, which is supported on one of the standards or side frames 6 of the machine by means of brackets 7, upon which the trunnions 5 are formed or secured. Each of the trunnions 5 is provided with a vertically-elongated passage S, through which the driving-shaft 9 passes, and the brackets 7 are vertically adjustable by means of adjusting-screws 10, passing through supports or bosses 11, formed on the frame or standard 6 and engaging in perforated lugs 12, projecting from the sides of the bracket 7. The brackets '7 are also provided with set screws or bolts 13, which pass through vertical slots 14 in the bracket, so that the bracket may move vertically when the tightening-bolts 13 are loosened. By this means it will be seen that the plunger-rods 1 may be readily adjusted independently of each other and the eccentrics 3 raised and lowered with reference to the shaft 9.

Each of the eccentrics 4 is provided with a crank-arm 15, from the opposed faces of which project bosses or wrists 16, and in each of these bosses 16 is secured, by means of a setscrew 17 or other suitable device, a wrist-pin 18, which carries a stud 19, sliding in a way or slot 20, formed radially in a fly-wheel 21, keyed to the shaft 9 between the trunnions 5, and consequently between the hearings or pillow-blocks 22, in which the shaft is journaled, the trunnions 5 being also located between such bearings. These slots or ways 20, as better shown in Fig. 2, are arranged dia metrically opposite each other in the wheel 21, and the cranks 15, carrying the studs 19, project in opposite directions, as better shown in Fig. 1. The eccentrics 3 4 are secured together, so that the eccentric 3 will be comthe shaft 9.

pelled to revolve with the crank 15. This attachment is effected by providing the face of the eccentric 3 with a dovetailed groove 23, in which are seated the dilated heads of a number of set-bolts 24. By means of this attachment the two eccentrics 3 4 may be adjusted with relation to each other and the center of the eccentric 3 thereby brought nearer to or farther from the center of the shaft 9, thus providing for the nice adjustment of the eccentrics on opposite sides with relation to each other for regulating the extent of movement of the plungers.

The eccentric-straps 2 are each held on one side by a flange 25, formed on the trunnion 5, and on the other side by a flange 26, formed on the eccentric 3.

With a machine thus constructed it will be seen that the rotation of the shaft 9 will impart rotation to the cranks15-through the intermediary of the studs 19, sliding in their respective ways 20, formed in the fiy-wheel 21, and as a consequence motion will be imparted to the plunger-rods 1 by the action of the eccentrics 3, and this motion may be diminished or increased with a nicety by the adjustment of the eccentrics 3 a with relation to the shaft 9. It is also seen that as the stud 19 is nearer the center of the shaft 9 at one time than at another its speed will vary throughout the circle in which it travels, and as a consequence the downward movement of the plunger may be made rapid while the upward movement is slow. This variation in speed of the revolution of the eccentrics is of course due to the fact that the farther the stud 19 is from the shaft 9 the more rapid its travel, and as it descends toward the hub of the fly-wheel, where the motion is slow, the speed of the eccentric will accordingly decrease. The degree of variation between the fast and slow movement may be regulated by raising and lowering the brackets '7, which carry the trunnions 5, thus bringing the centers of the eccentrics nearer to or farther from I have not claimed, broadly, herein the adjustable brackets and eccentrics and the crank-arms 15, actuated by a crank on the shaft 9, inasmuch as the same constitute the subject-matter of the claims of my copending application, Serial No. 716,692, filed May 13, 1899.

It is of course obvious that the mechanical movement described herein might be employed for purposes other than operating the plungers of a jig.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new therein, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. The combination of a shaft, a pair of eccentrics through which said shaft passes and which are adjustable transversely of said I radially thereof and sliding studs arranged in said ways and connected with said eccentrics respectively, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination with the frame, of a vertically-adjustable bracket secured thereto and having the threaded lugs 12, adjustingscrews passing through a part of the frame and engaging in said lugs, a trunnion carried by said bracket and having a vertically-elongated passage, a shaft passing through said passage, an eccentric mounted on said trunnion and an operative connection between said eccentric and shaft, substantially as set forth.

at. The combination ofa continuous rigidlymounted driving-shaft, a rigid trunnion having an elongated passage through which said shaft passes, mounted adj nstably with reference to said shaft, a member secured to said shaft, an eccentric journaled on said trunnion and having a crank-arm provided with sliding connection with said member, and an eccentric-strap actuated by said eccentric, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination ofacontinuous rigidlymounted drivingshaft, a rigid trunnion having an enlarged passage through which said shaft passes, mounted adjustably with reference to said shaft, a fly-wheel having a radial slot or way, secured to said shaft, an eccentric journaled on said trunnion and having a crank-arm, a stud on said crank-arm sliding in said slot or way and an eccentric-rod having an eccentric-strap actuated by said eccentric, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination of a frame, a continuous shaft rigidly mountedin said frame,means for driving said shaft, two rigid trunnions adjustably secured to said frame near the ends of said shaft and having elongated passages through which said shaft passes, an eccentric journaled on each of said trunnions, having a crank-arm, a fiy-wheel fixed to said shaft between said crank-arms and having radial diametrically opposite slots or ways, studs connected to said crank-arms and sliding in said ways and eccentric-rods actuated by said eccentrics, substantially as set-forth.

CHARLES J. HODGE. lVitnesses:

EDNA B. JOHNSON, F. A. HOPKINS. 

